You are (not) invited! - The inclusive participation of human actors in SDE student projects
Author
Zomerplaag, Siri Jasmijn
Term
4. Term
Education
Publication year
2023
Submitted on
2023-06-02
Pages
47
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan projekter i Sustainable Design Engineering (SDE) ved Aalborg Universitet kan blive mere inkluderende ved at inddrage et bredere udsnit af mennesker på meningsfulde måder. Det kortlægger, hvordan SDE-studerende forstår og praktiserer deltagelse i dag, ser på hvordan andre fag inddrager forskellige interessenter (mennesker, der påvirker eller påvirkes af projekter), og præsenterer et refleksionsværktøj, der hjælper studerende med at overveje deres valg i deltagelsesprocesser. Undersøgelsen omfatter en sammenligning af 16 SDE-specialer afleveret i juni 2022, tre workshops med SDE-kandidater og interviews med fem professionelle, der arbejder med deltagelse. Arbejdet bygger på teorier om omstilling til bæredygtighed (hvordan samfund bevæger sig mod mere bæredygtige praksisser) og deltagende design (at designe med – ikke kun for – mennesker). Specialet tydeliggør, hvorfor inkluderende deltagelse er vigtig i SDE-projekter, og opfordrer studerende til kritisk at overveje, hvem der inddrages, hvornår og hvordan. Det overordnede mål er at bidrage til redskaber og metoder, der styrker inkluderende tilgange i deltagende design for bæredygtige omstillinger.
This thesis examines how to make Sustainable Design Engineering (SDE) student projects at Aalborg University more inclusive by involving a broader range of people in meaningful ways. It maps how SDE students currently understand and practice participation, looks at how other professions include diverse stakeholders (people affected by or involved in projects), and introduces a reflection tool that helps students consider their participatory choices. The study includes a comparison of 16 SDE theses submitted in June 2022, three workshops with SDE graduates, and interviews with five professionals who work with participation. The work is grounded in theories of sustainability transitions (how societies shift toward more sustainable practices) and participatory design (designing with—not just for—people). The thesis clarifies why inclusive participation matters in SDE student projects and encourages students to think critically about who is involved, when, and how. The overall aim is to contribute to tools and methods that strengthen inclusive approaches in participatory design for sustainability transitions.
[This summary has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
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